Psalms, 129

1. A Song of degrees. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:

1. How they have oppressed me from my youth - let Israel say,

2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.

2. how they have oppressed me from my youth - they have not put me down.

3. The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.

3. Upon my back plowers have plowed long and deep furrows

4. The LORD [is] righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.

4. But the Lord, who is just, has shattered the yoke of the wicked.

5. Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.

5. May all who hate Zion be thrown into confusion.

6. Let them be as the grass [upon] the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up:

6. May they be like grass in the garden, which withers before you uproot it.

7. Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.

7. No reaper sets his hands on it, no one gathers it to fill his arms,

8. Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the LORD [be] upon you: we bless you in the name of the LORD.

8. nor says of them the passersby, "The blessing of the Lord be upon you!" We bless you in the name of the Lord!